Question

Gupta age is called the golden age of indian architecture explain

Answer 1

Answer:

Literature, both religious and secular, writings of foreign travellers, inscriptions, coins, monuments etc. constitute various sources of the history of the Guptas. Puranas, such as the Vayu-Purana, the Matsya-Purana and the Vishnu-Purana, Smritis such as the Narada-Smriti, and the Brahaspati Smriti, dramas such as the Kaumudi-Mahotsava and the Devi-Chandra-Gupta, literary works of Kalidasa e.g., the Raghuvansa and the Abhigyana Shakuntalam, the Kavya-Mimansa of Rajashekhar, the Rajatarangani of Kalhana, the Harsh-Charita of Banabhatta, the Katha-Sarit-Sagar of Somadeva, the Vrahat-Katha-Manjari of Kshmendra, Jaina-text the Kuvalaya-Mala, and many others are its literary sources.

The writings of the Chinese travellers Fa hien, and Hiuen Tsang and I-tsing also provide us some useful information. Coins, inscriptions, different monuments and pieces of fine arts of the Gupta age are other valuable sources of the history of this period. Rulers like Samudra Gupta, Chandra Gupta II, Kumar Gupta and Skanda Gupta issued coins of varied types which help us in understanding their personalities and achievements.

Explanation:

The different inscriptions such as the Allahabad- pillar-inscriptions of Samudra Gupta, iron-pillar at Delhi near Kutub Minar and other pillar inscriptions at Mathura, Sanchi, Bhitri, Junagarh, etc., and some stone-inscriptions as well help us in knowing the history of the Guptas. Besides, a large number of seals of this age too have been discovered at Vaisali in district Muzzafarpur.

Among them one seal is that of the wife of king Chandra Gupta II. Mahadevi Dhruvaswamini. Seals of different administrative officials too have been discovered from there which has helped scholars in preparing a list of civil and military officers of the Gupta rulers. Besides, temples, idols, paintings of this age also constitute good sources of information. Thus, variety of sources and in quite good number is available to scholars for knowing the history and culture of the age of the Guptas.

Yet, the origin of the Guptas is obscure. Dr Romila Thapar has observed that, probably, the family was one of wealthy landowners who gradually gained political control in the region of Magadha. It is also possible that the family belonged to one of the many petty ruling families in the area of Magadha or around Magadha.